Fast Support Jumpluff

Jumpluff is a Pokémon that is seldom used in competitive play, because of its relatively low stats all around. However, it has a very high speed stat, and learns a variety of status moves that are especially useful in Double Battles and VGC-type battles.

Moves like Sleep Powder and Leach Seed can hinder your opponent’s team, while Rage Powder and Aromatherapy can keep your own Pokémon alive and fully functioning. The Infiltrator ability is invaluable for a Jumpluff, since its status moves can hit through Safegaurd, a move that is becoming more common since Meowstic was introduced.

Move Set 1 is more geared toward Single Battles, while Move Set 2 is better for Double Battles.

Fast Support Jumpluff

Ability

Infiltrator

Held Item

Red Card

Move Set 1

Sleep Powder, Leach Seed, Toxic, Giga Drain

Move Set 2

Sleep Powder, Leach Seed, Rage Powder, Aromatherapy

EVs

252 HP / 252 Spd / 4 Sp. Def

IVs

HP 31 / Atk – / Def 31 / Sp. Atk 31 / Sp. Def 31 / Spd 31

Nature

Timid (+10% Spd, -10% Atk)

Strategy

In Single Battles, it is best to lead off with Jumpluff, in order to set up status afflictions like Sleep on your opponent’s Pokémon quickly. Use Sleep Powder on the first turn to incapacitate the opponent’s setup Pokémon before they can set up on you. Next, use Leach Seed. This will most likely force them to switch Pokémon, so to predict this, you could use Toxic on the Pokémon that switches in. If you want to play it safe without prediction, you can use Giga Drain, or switch to a new Pokémon.

In a Double Battle, do not lead off with Jumpluff. Wait until your opponent has set up a sweeper (for example a Pokémon with stat boosting moves like Swords Dance used on it), and switch in Jumpluff for a Pokémon that just fainted. Use Rage Powder, which will force the sweeper to attack Jumpluff instead of your other Pokémon, and because of the Red Card item, that Pokémon will be forced to switch out. This removes all stat boosts the sweeper may have received, and makes it easier to handle later.

You can also use Jumpluff to negate status effects like Burn or Paralysis that your opponent may have inflicted on you. If, for example, a Klefki paralyzes your entire team, just use Aromatherapy, and your Pokémon will all be cured.

Things to Watch Out For

Ice Shard: This is a priority Ice-type move that will most likely 1-hit-KO Jumpluff. However, Rage Powder will always go before this move.

Taunt: This move essentially makes Jumpluff helpless, since the target can only use damaging moves. If Jumpluff is Taunted, switch it out immediately.

Sleep Clause: This is a rule made by Smogon, the competitive battling league. It states that you can only force one of your opponent’s Pokémon to sleep at one time. This means that if you have used Sleep Powder on a Pokémon, you cannot use it again until that Pokémon wakes up. In VGC rules, this rule does not exist, so you can use Sleep Powder whenever you want in this style of battle.